Mint pesto
2 cups mint leaves picked from stems
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup evaporated milk
4 garlic cloves
4 scallions, roots removed and chopped
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp. fish sauce (optional)
1/2 cup avocado oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Vanilla and blood orange vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup blood orange juice
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 shallot, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Beets and burrata
1 bunch red beets, stems and tops removed
Olive oil, as needed
Sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
1 sprig rosemary
1 bunch watercress
4 portions burrata
For pesto: Add mint, parsley, pine nuts, evaporated milk, garlic, scallions, lime and fish sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle oil to emulsify. Season with salt.
For vinaigrette: Combine ingredients until mixture is uniform in color and texture.
To complete: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place beets in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and add rosemary. Wrap foil around beets and place in the center of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.
When beets are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off with your fingers or a kitchen towel. If they are cooked enough, the skin should peel right off.
Cut beets into wedges. Spread 1/2 cup pesto on a serving plate. Toss beets and watercress with 1/2 cup vinaigrette and lay across pesto. Place burrata in the center of the plate and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. You will have leftover pesto and vinaigrette, which will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Serves 4 to 6
Photo: © 2021 Walter Wilson